‘What sort of investment is this?’ – MP raises more questions over Vitals deal

Shadow health minister Claudette Buttigieg raised doubts over the nature of the government’s deal with Vitals Global Healthcare – the company that has privatised the St Luke’s, Gozo and Karin Grech hospitals.

Addressing Parliament during a debate on the Budget, Buttigieg noted that Vitals was last year given €16.5 million in concession agreements, over and above the running costs for staff salaries and running costs at the hospitals.

She recounted how Vitals CEO Armin Ernst had said last week that €4 million given to Karin Grech by government were operatonal funds – spent on salaries and ensuring that the hospital “continues to run as it did before”. 

“The government said so often that Vitals will be investing €200 million and that it will continue to pay the workers’ salaries. Vitals’ management team is composed of nine people and it recently hired five new occuptational therapists and three physiotherapists. Is the €16.5 million just going to be spent on the salaries of 17 people and for the hospital to continue being run as it is, without any improvements?"

Buttigieg questioned when exactly Vitals will start investing to improve Malta’s healthcare system, arguing that the only confirmed ‘investment’ so far was €2 million into opening a nursing school that will originally operate from MCAST.

“What strange investment is this? Vitals are supposed to be investing in us, but while they gave us €2 million we are giving them €16.5 million.”

Social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia responded by accusing the Opposition of acting negatively in an attempt of scaring off foreign investment in Malta.